


Compared to the World

by bigblueboxat221b



Category: Come From Away - Sankoff & Hein
Genre: After Gander, Diane POV, F/M, Forgotten Screech-In, Matchmaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:35:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22474216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigblueboxat221b/pseuds/bigblueboxat221b
Summary: "The gym was a sight, as I stacked the last cot, thankyous written everywhere and things they forgot..."Nick is dismayed when he leaves his camera behind in Gander, but he hasn't counted on Beulah and Annette's determination to reunite it with its owner by a slightly roundabout route.
Relationships: Nick/Diane
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Compared to the World

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is not RPF  
> While Nick and Diane in the musical are based on real people, this story is set strictly in the fictional representation of them in the musical, ‘Come From Away’. I haven’t done any research into their personal lives, and anything further than what is canon in the musical is completely made up, with the exception of some geographical details. This is not intended to represent the real life couple in any way, their thoughts, attitudes or actions. It’s just my brain saying, ‘what if?’, as it does to every story that resonates with me.

Frowning, Nick checked the pockets of his blazer again. He was so sure he’d packed the camera in the inner pocket, but it simply wasn’t there. His suitcase was empty, as was his briefcase, so if the camera wasn’t there, where on earth was it?

Surely he hadn’t left it in Gander.

+++

Beulah and Dwight were working on the last classroom. So many things had been left behind, the cleaning crew had to wait until the staff had gone through each classroom, collecting personal belongings and sorting them. Many things weren’t labelled and would end up being donated or as trash, but they’d found clothes, toys, books, pairs of glasses…the list was huge, and a lot of things might be missed by the people who owned them. Beulah was determined to try and return as many things as possible.

“We’ll have to find somewhere to store all this,” Beulah said, waving her hand as the enormous divided basket she was carrying. “And organise it first, so’s it can be found if people come looking for it.”

“Yeah,” Dwight said with a sigh. He bent down to pick something up. “Camera.”

Beulah nodded. “We should get the photos developed,” she said, turning the disposable camera over in her hands. “It might have people we can identify in them.”

“Sure,” Dwight said. “I’ll add it to the pile. I’m sure we have a few cameras in there, don’t we?”

Beulah grinned. “Of course we do.”

+++  
Two weeks later, Beulah sat in the staffroom, flicking through sets of photos, looking for anything that might identify the owners. The photos wouldn’t be thrown out, but if they could contact people that would be ideal. This set was mainly of the scenery, with a few blurry figures; nothing useable.

She sighed, picking up the next set of photos.

“I wish people would…oh,” she said to herself. _I wish people would take a photo of their contact details first in case they lose their camera_ , she had been going to say…and here it was, a camera with that exact photo first. A clear shot of a name, physical address, phone number and email address. She flicked through, and a smile broke over her face as she recognised the woman in the photos.

And if that woman was who she thought it was, that name could only belong to one person.

“Nick Marson,” she murmured. And an address in London. Surely this was the tall Englishman who was so clearly enamoured with the Texan blonde? The same woman was the only recognisable person in the whole roll of film that bore his contact details. From what Beulah could tell, they’d been up at the Dover Fault and Nick had apparently thought Miss. Texas was more worth photographing than the unique 540 million year old geographical feature.

“I wonder,” Beulah mused. Everyone in town had heard about the screech-in, but she’d seen them leave on the last morning and they looked like an awkward pair again, nothing like the lovebirds she would assume they would be after their night out.

“Annette,” she said suddenly, as the woman entered the staffroom. “Do you remember that Texan woman and the Englishman? You know, people kept asking if they were married.”

“Diane and Nick?” she said immediately. “Of course!” she sighed. “They were adorable.”

“Well he’s left his camera behind,” Beulah said. “Come and see.”

She waited impatiently as Annette flicked through the photos. Her eyebrows rose as she reached the end and Beulah knew she’d realised what had happened.

“You heard about the screech-in?” Beulah asked.

“I was there!” Annette replied. She smiled. “It was obvious to everyone it was going to happen.”

“Well I saw them walking out to the bus, and they did not look like you’d think they would,” Beulah said. She leaned in, the gossip not coming naturally to her. “I think they might have had an argument.”

“An argument?” Annette repeated. She frowned. “No, that can’t be right.”

“Well what do you think?” Beulah asked. She knew Annette had gotten to know Diane and Nick a little bit while they were here. She might have a better idea than Beulah about how their dynamic worked.

“I spoke to Diane before they left, and she wasn’t feeling well,” Annette explained. “I gave her some ibuprofen. She said she drank too much the night before.”

Beulah looked at her, thinking hard. If she drank too much, maybe…“You don’t think she forgot, do you?”

“Forgot the screech-in?” Annette said in dismay.

“Maybe?” Beulah said. “It would explain why things were weird when they left. I mean, if she forgot, do you think Nick would tell her what happened?”

They looked at each other for a long moment, and Beulah could see the answer in Annette’s face.

“Oh no,” Annette said, immediately going into disaster mode. “What should we do?”

“You have her phone number, don’t you?” Beulah asked thoughtfully.

“Yes!” Annette replied brightly. “Do you think I should call her?”

Beulah thought for a moment. “Here’s what we’ll do,” she said.

+++  
“Hello, Diane speaking.”

“Hi, it’s Annette. From the Gander Academy,” Annette said brightly.

“Oh! Hello!” Diane greeted her. She didn’t expect to hear from Annette so soon after returning.

“We’ve found a whole lot of personal belongings here,” Annette explained. “We’re trying to match things up with their owners.”

“Oh,” Diane said. “I don’t think I left anything behind.”

“No,” Annette said, “but we’ve found a bunch of cameras and we had the photos printed. I’m just calling anyone whose phone number we have,” she explained. “There were a lot of photos taken here, and if you can give me your address I can post you copies of any with you in them.”

“Oh, that’s lovely, thank you,” Diane replied. She happily gave Annette her address, wondering if there were any photos of her. She hadn’t really spent a lot of time with anybody but Nick.

Right on cue, Annette asked, “So have you and Nick talked since you got home?”

“Once,” Diane replied, her heart beating fast at the mention of his name. “It was strange. He’s so far away, and…oh it’s silly. Anyway. Thank you for sending the photos.”

+++

“So?” Beulah asked.

“I got her address,” Annette replied.

“And did she say what had happened with Nick after they left here?”

“She said they’ve talked once,” Annette said. “But she didn’t sound…it didn’t sound happy.”

“Only once?” Beulah asked.

“That’s what she said,” Annette replied. “So you’re going to send her the photos from Nick?”

“I am,” Beulah said. When Annette had left, she added, “I hope it’s the right thing to do.”

+++  
The envelope felt stiff, as though it had cardboard in it to stop it being bent. Diane blinked at the return address. Who did she know at Gander Academy? She’d sent flowers, a gesture which felt slightly ridiculous in the wake of how much the people of Gander had done for them, but surely they weren’t sending replies to everyone?

Oh, of course. The photos.

Carefully, she opened it. Inside a folded piece of cardboard were a letter and half a dozen photos. Diane slipped the photos to the back and read the letter, slightly surprised that it was from Beulah and not Annette as she thought it might be.

_Dear Diane,_

_We found a number of cameras as we were packing up the shelter. As Annette said, we wanted to return them to the people involved if possible. These photos were found on an unnamed disposable camera in room 7. There were no other photos of specific people on this camera, but I hope you can remember where you were when these were taken and you might know who we can send the rest of the photos to._

_Best wishes,_

_Beulah Davis_

_Gander Academy, Newfoundland_

As she read, Diane wondered who the photographer might be. She’d spent most of her time with Nick, of course, but she didn’t remember him taking more than one photo of her…With a hand that suddenly trembled, Diane pulled the photos to the front to look at them.

The first one didn’t make sense, so she flicked through all of them. Sure enough, they were all of her. All at the Dover Fault Lookout, and in all but one, she wasn’t looking at the camera. No wonder she didn’t remember more photos of herself being taken. Apart from the one photo in which she was looking at the camera, a small self-conscious smile on her face, the rest were not staged. A couple were of the side of her face, and two were almost front-on but she was clearly looking out over the view. She remembered being lost for a moment in the sheer size and beauty of the Fault, marvelling at the idea that all this had been moving for millions of years. Obviously someone had taken the opportunity to take her picture. In the last photos she was reading the information board, her face lit up by what she was reading.

There was only one other person up there with her.

One person who could have taken these.

Nick.

Frowning, Diane looked again. Had Nick taken any photos of the Fault without her in them? She remembered seeing him with his camera to his face most of the time and thought he must be looking for the best view. Touching one of the photos of her face, a voice in her head said, _perhaps he thought this was the best view._

Frowning a little, Diane read the letter again. There was nothing in it to indicate there were any other photos from up at the Dover Fault, or even that Beulah had recognised the location at all. Diane chewed on her lip for a moment, eying off her phone before making the judgment.

_I have to know._

“Gander Academy, Beulah Davis speaking, how can I help you?” the voice answered.

“Beulah, it’s Diane. Diane Grey, I was in Gander a few weeks ago…” Diane started, not entirely sure how to describe herself. Surely Beulah had written dozens of letters, she might not remember...

“Diane!” Beulah exclaimed. “Can I presume the photos reached you safely?”

“They did,” she replied. “Thank you. But I just had one question…”

“Okay,” Beulah said.

Diane hesitated. “This camera,” she said. “Were there any other photos up at the same place?”

Beulah thought for a moment, and Diane’s heart was thumping in the few seconds. “I don’t remember,” she said. “But I have the photos here, if you can wait a moment.”

“Of course,” Diane replied. Her heart was in her mouth as she could hear movement on the other end of the phone. “Okay,” Beulah said. “Let’s see, there’s photos of...the town, a couple of the shelter...more of town...and then it jumps right to a picture of you.” She paused and Diane could hear her flicking through the pile of photos. “There aren’t any from up here that don’t have you in,” she said.

“Oh,” Diane replied uncertainly. She wasn’t sure if that was good or not.

“Do you know whose camera this is?” Beulah asked. “It would be good to be able to send the rest back to them.”

“Nick,” Diane said, forcing her mouth to shape his name. “Nick Marson.”

“Of course,” Beulah said. There was a pause before she asked, “And which lookout was this, do you remember?”

“The Dover Fault,” Diane whispered. She hoped Beulah could hear her.

“Ah.” Diane could hear the smile as Beulah exhaled. “I don’t actually have any contact details for Nick. But if you think you’ll see him,” Beulah said carefully, “perhaps I could send the photos to you and you could pass them on?”

Diane’s heart hitched.

_I want to see him. I miss him desperately._

“I...don’t know if I’ll see him,” she said, hoping the tears in her voice weren’t audible from Newfoundland.

“Really?” Beulah replied. She sounded surprised. “Sorry, I just had the impression...”

“What?” Diane asked, knowing she sounded defensive.

“That you two were sweet on each other,” Beulah said.

“Well maybe,” Diane said. “But I don’t know...” she sighed, finally deciding to tell someone. “I thought maybe...but the last day was awkward. I don’t know if I did something or said something but he was…guarded. Less open.”

Silence rang along the line.

“Do you...look I hope you don’t mind me asking this, but do you remember the screech-in?” Beulah asked.

“The screech-in?” Diane replied. “At the bar?”

“Yes,” Beulah said.

“Some of it,” Diane said cautiously. “Why?”

She could hear Beulah blow out a breath. “Honey, did you and Nick talk about that night at all?”

Diane frowned. Why was Beulah so interested in the screech-in? “He woke me the next day,” he remembered. “I was sleeping on a couch.” She frowned. “I asked him if I kissed the fish.”

“You didn’t remember?” Beulah’s voice was incredulous.

Diane was frowning again as she fought her memory. “I don’t know. I didn’t, so I asked...but he said I did kiss the fish. But...”

“But?” Beulah asked.

“But it wasn’t right,” Diane said slowly. “And I couldn’t figure out why.”

“And is that when things changed?” Beulah asked carefully.

“Yes,” Diane said slowly. “Yes, that’s when it changed. Before the Fault.”

“Before it?” Beulah repeated. “Before he took all those photos of you and none of the lookout?”

“Oh,” Diane breathed. She’d never made that connection before. “Yes. Before...but if he took those photos...” she frowned. “I think I’m missing something.” She swallowed, the silence at the end of the line a little unnerving. “Beulah?”

There was a pause, only the thumping of her heart to pass the time.

“I could tell you what you’re missing,” Beulah said carefully, “but…can I give you some advice, Duckie?”

“Okay,” Diane said. She was so confused, and Beulah sounded like she knew what she was talking about. “Yes, tell me what to do.”

“You need to ask Nick.”

Diane blinked. She thought Beulah was going to tell her what she couldn’t remember from the screech-in.

“You think I should call Nick?” Diane asked.

“You need to see him,” Beulah said firmly.

Diane took a deep breath. Beulah sounded so sure…

“I’ll call him,” Diane said unconvincingly.

“If you want my advice Duckie, you’ve gotta see him in person. This is not a conversation you’ll want to have across an ocean.”

“In person?” Diane repeated. “Is it that bad?”

Beulah laughed. “No honey, not at all. But you need to be there with him when you ask him about the screech-in.”

Diane nodded. Making a decision now felt too hard. It was easier to just take Beulah’s advice.

“I’ll post you his photos,” Beulah said. “I’d love to know what happens, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Thank you,” Diane said faintly.

She hung up with Beulah, and without hesitating she immediately called Nick. His number was tucked under her address book and she dialled it without thinking.

“Hello?”

“Nick, it’s Diane,” she said. A quick worry about the time – _no, it’s morning here so it’s later in the day over there._

“I was just about to call you,” he said immediately.

“You were?” Diane said. The comment threw her, and she waited for Nick to explain.

“They’ve rescheduled some meetings. I’ll be in Dallas on Friday.”

Immediately, Diane’s heart started thumping a loud two-beat.

_Fri-day. Fri-day._

“Friday?” Diane repeated.

_Serendipity..._

“Yes,” Nick said, and he sounded hesitant. “I have one meeting Friday, but the rest don’t start until Monday and I thought...I mean, I was wondering if you’d like,” he took a deep breath, “if you’d like to go to dinner with me.”

Diane’s heart leapt. “Yes,” she said. “That would be,” she swallowed, suddenly emotional, “yes, please.”

They said a few more things, and she couldn’t remember; but Nick agreed to come to her house for a drink first on Friday evening.

“See you Friday,” Diane said.

“Friday,” Nick murmured.

She held onto the phone for a long time after he hung up.

_Oh my god. Nick is coming here._

Impulsively she called Beulah again.

“He’s coming here on Friday,” she blurted as soon as Beulah finished her greeting. “Can you...I mean, is there any way I can...the photos.”

“I’ll get them to you,” Beulah said immediately. “Somebody will be going your way.”

She sounded so confident that Diane nodded, just leaving it with her. “Okay.”

“Friday?” Beulah said. “That’s soon.”

“His meetings have been rescheduled,” Diane whispered.

“To a Friday?” Beulah said.

“I don’t know,” Diane said. “But he’ll be here then.”

“And you’re....please tell me you’re going to see him Friday,” Beulah said.

“He’s coming here,” Diane said. “For dinner.”

“Well you call me next week,” Beulah said. “And I will make sure those photos are there by Friday.”

+++

By the time Friday morning came it wasn’t actually a lie for Diane to call in sick to work. Her stomach was roiling with anxiety at the idea of seeing Nick today - _today_ \- and she would be useless at work. She worried about how she’d fill the morning, but she was home when there was a knock on her door. Someone she didn’t recognise was waiting for her.

“Are you Diane Grey?” the young woman asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“This is for you.” She held out a fat envelope to Diane.

 _The photos._ Diane took it automatically.

“Hang on...how did you...”

“It’s a long story, but I’m a friend of someone who came from New York last night. I think they brought this from Toronto,” the young woman said.

“Oh,” Diane whispered. _Wow._ “Yes. Thank you.”

“Bye!” she said, skipping down Diane’s steps.

Diane stared at the envelope in her hand. Beulah has done it, with a lot of help from her friends by the sound of it. Newfoundland to Toronto to New York to Dallas, Diane thought as she turned the photos over. _Wow_.

She opened the packet. There was a small packet with Nick’s name on the front – clearly a set of photos – and a card with her name on it. She put his on the kitchen bench and opened hers. It was from Beulah.

_Dear Diane,_

_I’m hoping this makes it to you before Friday night. I think we’ve got the timing right. If I’m right it’s Friday morning and you’re probably so nervous you’re considering pulling out of this whole thing._

Diane swallowed. How did she know?

_Please don’t. It’s a misunderstanding, and if you can clear it up, well, you didn’t see yourselves. Circling around each other but for every moment you couldn’t keep your eyes off him, he was doing the same._

_I know it seems like something good shouldn’t come out of something so terrible, but the enormity of the terrible thing is exactly why we need these good things. We need to believe the good things can still happen._

_And they can - but sometimes you have to give them a little push._

_Best,_

_Beulah_

A little push? Diane wondered at that for a moment, but then ignored it. Nick would be here in...not enough hours.

The minutes passed slowly, creeping by. Diane occupied herself by reorganising her bookshelf, cleaning out her pantry and checking the clock every three minutes. Finally it was four o’clock - the time she’d deemed it would be reasonable to start getting ready for Nick. Those hours raced past, every task seeming to take twice as long. Clumsy fingers and indecisiveness didn’t help, of course, but finally she was ready.

The knock on her front door made Diane’s heart jump into her throat. She swallowed hard before steeling herself to walk to the door, smiling nervously when it opened.

Nick.

He looked exactly the same, a fact which eased her heart and she felt her smile relax.

“Hi Nick,” she said and when he smiled happiness bloomed in her chest.

“Hello,” he said. “These are for you.”

She hadn’t noticed the flowers he was carrying until he passed them to her.

“Oh they’re beautiful,” she exclaimed taking the roses. “Oh sorry, come in.”

He stepped across the doorway, and Diane busied herself with the flowers.

“Come in,” she said over her shoulder and he followed her into the kitchen as she found a vase and arranged them. When she was done - the excuse to occupy her hands now gone - Diane turned to look at Nick. He was standing on the far side of kitchen, hands clasped before him as he did when he was nervous.

She’d forgotten she knew that about him. Her heart ached a little at the forgotten detail. What else had she forgotten?

“You called me,” Nick said almost apologetically. “Was there something?”

Diane swallowed. She hadn’t thought they’d get to this point quite so soon. “Yes,” she whispered, and the atmosphere grew heavy almost immediately.

The photos were still on the bench where she’d put them earlier. They’d moved several times, each not quite the right place until she’d given up and just left them on the kitchen bench. Now she reached for them, noticing her fingers shaking and hoping Nick didn’t notice. Diane passed them to him, not remembering until too late that his fingers would probably brush hers as they exchanged the envelope.

She shuddered at the touch, wondering if Nick would notice. If he would feel something at the contact, too.

Nick paused for a second before pulling the photos toward himself and opening them. He frowned.

“Are these from my camera?” he asked.

“Beulah called me,” Diane said. “Well, Annette did first. Do you remember her?”

Nick nodded, clearly distracted by the photos.

“Well they decided to develop all the cameras they found to try and figure out who owed each one. And when they saw these,” Diane’s face was growing warmer and she was glad Nick was pre-occupied looking though the photos,  
“they saw photos of me and thought I might know who these belonged to.”

Nick has paused at the first photo of Diane up at the Dover Fault.

“You’ve seen these?” he asked, and when he looked up his cheeks were the same colour Diane imagined hers were.

“Beulah sent me the ones I’m in,” she said. She leaned over, separating the copies of the ones she had. “These ones.”

“Oh,” Nick said. He looked down again, studying the photo of Diane close up.

“I don’t remember you taking most of these,” Diane said.

“No,” Nick said guiltily. “I wasn’t...I didn’t want to ask.”

Diane nodded her heart pounding at their careful words. “Why?” she asked. “Why did you take these?”

The silence rang between them, Diane hardly able to believe she had managed to ask the question.

“I didn’t want to forget you,” Nick said quietly.

Diane nodded again. “One thing I don’t understand,” she said. Nick looked apprehensive so she tried to smile. “We didn’t go up there until after the screech-in.”

“No,” Nick agreed, “we didn’t.” He didn’t speak but his eyes told Diane he understood why this conversation was so important.

“What happened?” Diane asked, the word finally hanging between them. “What changed?”

Nick swallowed. “At the screech-in?” he asked.

Diane nodded, knowing tears were threatening and trying to hold them back.

“You asked me if you kissed the fish,” Nick said. “I thought you’d forgotten.”

“I had,” Diane said. Regret was hot in her belly as one tear begin its slow track down her face.

“I told you that you did,” Nick said, his voice full of apology, “but you didn’t.”

Relief passed briefly though her. “I knew it didn’t feel right,” Diane said. “Is that why things were strange the next day?”

“You kissed me,” Nick blurted. “Instead of the fish.”

“I...what?” Diane said. She couldn’t remember it, but the idea of it fit better in her mind than her kissing the fish. Looking at Nick she finally understood.

_You thought I forgot you._

“And you thought I’d forgotten you,” she said, empathy welling in her.

“Yes,” Nick said.

They stood looking at each other across the kitchen bench for a long moment. Diane could feel the cool marble under her fingertips and the warmth of the tears running down her cheeks as she looked into Nick’s face.

“I’m sorry,” Diane whispered.

Nick shook his head. “I should have told you the truth,” he replied.

Diane blinked, wiping at her tears. The silence rang again until she whispered, “I’ve missed you.”

Nick let out a breath Diane didn’t realise he’d been holding. “Me too,” he said.

“Did I really kiss you at the screech-in?” Diane asked quietly.

“You did,” Nick replied adding apropos of nothing, “I didn’t get a photo of either of us in the hats.”

“The hats!” Diane remembered with a smile. “I do remember the hats.”

Nick smiled at her again. “I took those photos,” he said with quiet dignity but determination, “because I knew I would never ever forget you, but I wanted to prove to myself it really happened.”

“Oh,” Diane said.

“And then I left the camera in Gander,” he said. “And it was awkward when we spoke, and I almost gave up.”

Diane looked at him. “Would you have told me you were going to be in Dallas?” she asked.

“Yes,” Nick said. “I was sitting by the phone trying to figure out what to say when you called.”

“Oh,” Diane said again. “When I kissed you,” Diane asked carefully, her face heating at the blunt question she was about to ask, “did you want me to?”

Nick’s fingers gripped the benchtop. “More than anything,” he said quietly. “You really don’t remember?”

“I don’t,” Diane said. “What happened?”

“Well,” Nick said, starting to walk around the bench, “you volunteered us for this ceremony. So we were sitting in the middle of the room, silly hats on. And we were laughing, and you looked beautiful, and they gave out screech, this horrific local rum.”

_You looked beautiful._

“I think I remember that,” Diane said as she frowned. “I think I liked it?”

“You did,” Nick confirmed. “And then we had to kiss the fish and I wasn’t going to but you said you would if I would.”

“So you did?” Diane asked.

“I did,” Nick admitted. He was close to her now and he leaned in to confide, “It was disgusting.”

Diane giggled, a curl of something in her belly.

“But then you said you wouldn’t, so Claude gave you an option.”

“What did he say?” Diane asked.

“Either you kiss this fish, or else you kiss this Englishman that you’re not married to,” Nick said. Flaming as his cheeks were, there was a tiny smile on his face as he spoke.

Diane was quiet for a moment, studying Nick’s face. “So it was you or the fish, then?”

“It was,” Nick replied. He wasn’t making any kind of move, but he was watching her carefully, and Diane could feel the atmosphere shift again.

“And I chose you,” Diane said.

“Over the fish,” Nick said with a self-deprecating smile.

“Well, yes,” Diane said. “But if there was another option,” she saw Nick’s eyes widen, “I would still have chosen you.”

The wide eyes morphed from upset to pure surprise, his mouth dropping open at the same time. “Oh,” Nick whispered.

_He wasn’t expecting that._

Diane smiled at him, hoping. Hoping he would understand.

_I chose you. Not compared to the fish. Compared to the world._

He blinked and Diane realised she’d have to say the words out loud.

“I chose you,” she said, holding his eyes, “Not compared to the fish.” She paused, pushing aside the flutter of fear. “Compared to the world.”

“Compared to…the world?” Nick whispered in astonishment.

Diane’s heart bumped up another level when Nick moved. He was already close and she barely had a second to think, but the intent with which he moved made it clear he was going to kiss her.

_Oh God. Yes, please._

As he came close, Diane reached for him at the same time. She didn’t want him to have any doubt she wanted this. The determination in his eyes flared when he realised, and the last step all four of their hands landed and tightened on clothing. It was less than a second before their mouths met but it felt like a lifetime. When Diane felt his lips touch on hers, the tension melted out of her and her body relaxed into Nick. They were pulling on each other, trying to get closer, but it was frustratingly uncoordinated. Finally it broke and they were breathing hard into the same space.

_Relax._

Diane took a deep breath, holding Nick’s eyes. She relaxed her fingers, pressing her palms against his chest, trying to ground them both. Slowly she leaned up, smiling briefly as he understood. The tight grip on her blouse smoothed out, his palms hot against her back instead.

This time when they met, it was slow. They had time to slide together. To adjust to each other. Diane’s hands pressed up, wrapping around Nick’s neck and pulling him closer. This was what they had wanted. This intimacy in the quiet space. It was glorious for a long, slow minute.

“Diane,” Nick said when the parted just enough to breathe properly, “did you say Beulah sent you the photos?”

“Yes,” she replied, still a little breathless. “Why?”

“I always take a photo of my contact details with the first frame,” Nick said. “In case I lose the camera and someone finds it.”

Diane stared at him, unable to imagine that… “Did Beulah do this on purpose?”

“I think she may have,” Nick said.

_A little push…_

“We’ll have to send her a thank you, then, won’t we?” Diane said, and they were both smiling as they leaned in to kiss once again. This time was slow and tender, and spirals of electricity spooled through Diane’s body as the kiss rolled on. When it broke, slowly, Diane couldn’t help but smile. Nick breathed words into the air between them.

“Compared to the world?”

“Compared to the world,” Diane replied, and closed the distance between them again.


End file.
